Fake And Faux OOH Are Becoming More And More Fact
August 28, 2024 by Dave Haynes
Technology marketers have always been a little, let’s say, relaxed about the accuracy and validity of their product claims.
So the influx of what has been dubbed fake DOOH over the past two years is really just a new chapter in a long-running story. The good news, however, is that audiences are now more aware of what is going on and creative producers have either decided or been encouraged to be more honest in their efforts.
We have all seen iconic buildings and monuments co-opted with CGI ads, like Messi in the otherwise empty Dubai Frame, giant handbags and wine bottles turned into trams rolling through streets, and subway trains getting eyelash touch-ups.
Recent examples from Germany:
- A Ford Capri on a golden yellow Cologne Cathedral , including a giant poster
- DooH screens with fruit falling out ;
- Hearts rising from the Department Store of the West into heaven
They’ve all been making a lot of noise on social media lately, and that was the point. But like many other similar projects, the posts and videos didn’t always mention that they were just CGI work.
It’s a new medium that uses (usually) well-executed CGI work to add a fun augmented reality overlay to physical spaces – buildings and landmarks – that are then shared on social media in the form of videos and images. It’s called Virtual DooH, Fake DooH, or, my favorite, Faux DooH.
Cool yes, but really?
Most of the entertainment we consume on a daily basis now consists of some degree of computer-generated imagery. But consumers know that this is the case. It is entertainment. Our brains are happy to accept being tricked in order to be entertained.
This post originally appeared in the DOOH section of the invidis digital signage industry yearbook for 2024, which was released a few weeks ago. You can download a PDF of the yearbook for free to read figures, trends and analyses about DOOH and more broadly about the digital signage industry. Sixteen:Nine has been a content partner for several years now with Munich-based invidis.
The problem with CGI campaigns is that many people assume these things are real. In social media comments, some even make plans to watch the animations in person. So people are being misled and are in for a disappointment.
The counterargument is that these CGI spots make brands and end consumers think and engage in creative work that is outside the norm.
Explore what is possible
David Title, who runs Bravo Media, a creative technology studio in New York City, has had many direct experiences with calls and emails from people who saw CGI projects, thought they were real and wanted their own versions in the real world. But he sees this more as an opportunity.
“Is there a responsibility to do something out there that says loudly ‘This isn’t real’? I don’t know,” says David Title. “CGI enables even small competitors or NGOs to create a real experience at a fraction of the cost of doing it in the real world. With digital out-of-home, you usually buy visibility on the street first. If the content is so good that it gets picked up and shared online, on social media or in the news, that’s a bonus.” That means a huge boost for the campaign.
“When you look at these virtual DooH campaigns, you don’t get street reach, but you get an exponentially higher number of impressions on social media,” David Title continues. “For me, this is an exciting way to explore what’s possible and also play with reality.”
Fake DooH vs. real outdoor advertising
Fake DooH triggers mixed feelings among established outdoor advertisers. If the creative implementations inspire brands to use out-of-home advertising, that is positive.
However, media companies are grappling with how to deal with virtual creative that uses real-world media structures as a digital environment – such as a prominent billboard in a major city that virtually runs an advertising campaign without any agreements or revenue sharing with the media company or real estate group that manages and owns that advertising space.
Why book a real campaign when you can ‘fake’ it and attract viewers via social media channels rather than on a city square? Richard Malton, CMO of Ocean Outdoor, one of Europe’s largest out-of-home media companies, is not a fan. In a blog post he argues: “Sure, it may be a cheap, easy tactic to get attention, but how can you justify running PR activities on other people’s commercial spaces when the people behind them don’t disclose what they’re really doing?”
“This is reflected in consumers’ brand engagement – they rate actual DooH brand campaigns higher than a socially boosted post of that campaign with the same content,” Richard Malton continues. “Of course the social element is hugely important and another priming superpower of DooH, but it’s a bonus, not a replacement. Anyone who tells you otherwise is pulling the wool over your eyes.”
How does FooH find its role in the media mix?
The good news is that these CGI-driven advertising videos are now widely available on the internet and are often identified in some way – sometimes openly or with hashtags indicating CGI ads, fake OoH or faux DooH.
FooH campaigns are fun and they have their role in the media mix. Nevertheless, it is better to treat them with care. Trust is an important part of brand marketing and if consumers feel they are being misled, that trust can slowly fade
There’s the potential to create some really unpleasant FOOH on strategically and politically important land marks and real state. Russian Flags ‘projected’ on the white house etc. I hope the responsible experiential people come up with some way of declaring that this was a Faux execution – no one likes to be taken for a fool.